UH bounces back to crush East Carolina, 17-3

Updated 1:18 am, Saturday, April 8, 2017

Connor Hollis' bases-empty home run put the Cougars ahead 12-3. It was the first collegiate home run for the junior infielder in 373 career at-bats.

Connor Hollis' bases-empty home run put the Cougars ahead 12-3. It was the first collegiate home run for the junior infielder in 373 career at-bats.

Photo: Juan DeLeon/For The Chronicle

UH bounces back to crush East Carolina, 17-3

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As Connor Hollis made his way to the University of Houston dugout following his first collegiate home run, Joe Davis walked up the steps and began to hold up a stainless steel Thor-like hammer.

After one of their most stinging losses of the season, the Cougars had plenty of reasons to celebrate Friday night.

UH had three home runs to back seven solid innings from lefthander Trey Cumbie in a 17-3 rout of East Carolina at Schroeder Park.

The Cougars evened their record at 2-2 in the American Athletic Conference. East Carolina, the league's preseason favorite, dropped to 0-4.

The blowout came three days after the Cougars managed only three hits in a 9-0 loss to crosstown rival Rice.

"I think we came out a little hungry," said first baseman Joe Davis, who went 3-for-5 with three RBIs. "That was pretty disappointing on our part."

Davis hit a three-run homer as part of a seven-run second inning, Connor Wong added a three-run shot in the third and Hollis added a solo homer in the fifth.

The game took a scary turn in the bottom of the second when East Carolina righthander Chris Holba took a line drive to the face off the bat of Jake Scheiner. Holba was taken to a Houston hospital for evaluation.

At the time, the Pirates led 2-0. By the time the inning ended, the Cougars led 7-2. Davis, who had three hits, delivered the big blow with a home run- his second of the season - that just cleared the left-field wall. Six runs in the inning were unearned.

With two outs in the third, Wong delivered a no-doubt-about-it shot to left field, his fourth of the season, to extend the Cougars' lead to 11-3.

Hollis' solo home run put the Cougars ahead 12-3. It was the first collegiate home run for the junior infielder in 373 career at-bats.

"That doesn't happen very often," Hollis said. "My teammates asked me if I was going to get a big head."

With UH ahead 14-3, pinch-hitter Rey Fuentes sent a fast-sinking line drive that Pirates right fielder Brady Lloyd couldn't make a play on for a three-run triple.

The 17 runs were the second-most by the Cougars this season. UH had 19 runs against Alabama State on March 19.

Jared Triolo was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and Wong drove in four runs.

Cumbie, who moved into the Friday night role following the demotion of Seth Romero, allowed two runs (one unearned) before settling down.

"In typical Cumbie fashion you don't think he's real sharp early but you look up and there are a bunch of zeroes on the board," UH coach Todd Whitting said.